String Project

The award-winning UNT String Project provides a fun, mutually beneficial learning experience for students in grades 2-9 and UNT music education majors.

Each year, about 125 children learn to play violin, viola, cello and double bass in group classes. In addition to music, students learn self-discipline, group cooperation, problem-solving skills, goal setting, self-expression, memory skills, concentration, poise, enhanced physical coordination, high self-esteem, and the importance of teamwork.

The program also serves as a teacher training program for UNT undergraduate string education majors, who are mentored by and work under the supervision of a master teacher. Musical instruction has a chamber music focus, giving the UNT students valuable experience teaching mixed-instrument classes.

The program has a close relationship with the Denton Independent School District; more than half of the orchestra directors in Denton ISD are themselves UNT music graduates who taught in the String Project. In fact, veterans of the String Project fill the music faculties of public schools across Texas.

I travel all over the state to give master classes, and north to south, east to west, every district that I’ve seen has 2 to 4 UNT graduates teaching strings. We have a near 100% job placement rate for music education students who finish their student teaching.”